About

Scroll down to learn more about all of the unique features of FishOly.

1. Strike activated flashing lights and sounds

These units signal a strike with bright LED lights and also with sounds.
Go ahead and stay warm and cozy in your shanty. You only need to peek
out to see if you have a bite – no light… no bite. A small nightlight
stays on from the time you turn the unit on to when you turn it off
(which aids in locating tip-ups in the dark). We’ve tested the units and
the nightlight offers very little battery drain. The nightlights have
run for hundreds of hours on a set of three AA batteries, so don't worry
about it being on all night. The different colored light pipes and the
number of signals (flashes/beeps) help identify who's rig has a bite.

Night shot - It's easy to see if you have a bite.

2. Interchangeable light pipes of different colors

Example of interchangeable light pipes. You can use one color while your buddy uses another color.

3. Design that feels more like a traditional rod and reel fishing pole

FishOly tip-ups are like miniature fishing rods so it feels more like a
traditional fishing pole. Removing the rod from the base allows you to
not only fight a fish but also allows you to jig with it. When you get
tired of jigging simply put it back on the base and it's a tip-up
again. The base has cleats to help grip the ice. It's a lot of fun to
fight a fish without the bulk of the base. The rod snaps off the base
with a firm tug. To place the rod back on the base, give it a firm push
and it will stay solidly in place. We love having the ability to
quickly change out fishing reels and set the drag. Now it's easy to go
from crappies to lake trout when you're out on the ice.

FishOly is like a miniature fishing rod.

4. Ability to use the reel of your choice

Hood and nut reel holder - use your favorite reel.

5. Ability to remove the rod from the base

6. Ability to quickly change reels

7. Ability to set the strike sensitivity

Control the sensitivity of the bite needed to activate the tip-up. The reel acts like a counter weight. Note the threads along the rod which allows you to place your reel forward or backward from center.

8. Built in tackle box

Each unit has its own little tackle box. You no longer have to tote
your main tackle box to each hole. When you check your line, you may
find you need to replace a weight or lure. Now extra tackle is right
there at each unit.

Built in tackel box.

These units are made of polycarbonate material; the same material
used in bullet resistant glass. The units will be offered in bright
florescent colors and the light pipes are made out of bright Dayglow
material which makes them easy to see day or night. These tip-ups look
good and are tough.

FishOly puts the fun back in fishing!

You'll need an HTML5 capable browser to see this content.

Replay with sound

Play with sound

00:00

00:00

We are now ready to start production but need molds built. That's
where you come in. The molds alone will cost approximately $75,000 to
$80,000. We are asking for
$100,000 to cover costs of these molds, production costs, and assembly
costs. Once we have the molds, we can create the parts that will be
assembled into a FishOly tip-up unit. We are heavily invested and very
committed to this project. We have
spent quite a bit of time and money on a patent and prototypes. We now
need your financial support so we can continue with production.

We
are lined up with Legacy Molding Company in Riverton, Wyoming to get
the molds built and to manufacture the polycarbonate injected parts. We
have a supplier for the printed circuit boards and other ready made
parts such as the buttons. We are setting up to manufacture, assemble,
and ship the units right here in Wyoming. We're especially proud that
these units will be made in America.

Everyone we talk to about
this project get's very excited! Our ice fishing friends can't wait to
get a FishOly. The University of Wyoming market study also supported
the project. There are literally thousands of ice fishermen out there
and we feel that once this product gets on the market, it will be a
"must have" addition to sportsmen's ice fishing gear. There is no other
tip-up like FishOly on the market today.

Note: You can make pledges on the right hand side of this
Kickstarter website. Here are examples of the rewards we are offering
for your support.

FishOly mug ($15 pledge)

FishOly ball cap ($15 pledge)

FishOly stocking hat ($20 pledge)

FishOly tee shirt ($20 pledge)

Example of florescent green FishOly (reel not included) - $55 pledge

Example of hot pink FishOly (reel not included) - $55 pledge

Why did we call this FishOly?

My dad, Oly, and I have been avid ice fishermen for many years. This design is dedicated to my hero - my Dad. Thus, the name, FishOly.

My dad - Oly.

As avid ice fishermen, we enjoy going to the ice to relax and catch fish. However, when day turned to night… the entertainment turned to effort. Night-time darkness meant we had to leave our warm shanty armed with flashlights to go check our old tip-ups for strikes. Also, it wasn't uncommon to leave behind a rig or two in the dark because we couldn’t find them. We also didn't care for the small fishing line spools that don’t offer rapid line retrieval, a drag system to fight fish, or the ability to quickly swap out light test line for heavy test line. We thought there had to be a better way! So we put our heads together, consulted with other ice fishermen, and built several prototypes over the course of four years.

Prototypes of printed circut board.

Prototype #1.

Prototype #2.

Prototype #3.

Final design.

The result... we feel that we have created the ultimate ice fishing tip-up.

Ta da...

Risks and challenges

We have spent a lot of time researching the best, most efficient way to manufacture the FishOly. We are ready to tackle all of the challenges of starting a venture like this and we feel we have our bases covered.

One challenge has been obtaining ready made parts (plastite screws, hood and nut reel holders, buttons, line guide eyelet) from suppliers. If the ready made parts become unobtainable, Legacy Molding has the capacity to either help us locate a new supplier or even possibly build the needed parts for us. We have a very stable and positive relationship with Legacy Molding and have the benefit of being geographically close to this company so we can sit down face to face with them and work out any problems.